Our Correspondent

Bathinda, May 9

Members of the Scheduled Castes have urged the Congress high command that the next president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) should belong to the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes.

Mr Jeet Singh Romana, President, Punjab Pradesh SC/ST Welfare Association, in a press note issued here today said the president of the PPCC was always selected from the “landlord” community.

Most of the time, they were not aware of the problems of the weaker sections of society, he said.

The present PPCC president had never visited the homes of Dalits to enquire about their problems, he alleged, adding that he also did not attend functions organised by the Dalits.

He said if the Congress wanted to gain power in Punjab it should replace its leader in the state and appoint a Dalit leader.

Mr Romana alleged that in the past when the Congress had entered a poll alliance, it had left the reserved seats to its partner for keeping the Dalits out.